AHN OCT 31 2019

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alaska highway news THURSDAY, oct. 31, 2019 | VOL. A-75 NO. 44

$1.50 incl. gst celebrating

75 years

FORT ST. JOHN NEWS | BUSINESS | POLITICS | SPORTS | ARTS | est. 1944 pool options

fight night

FOR THE ACL

New regional pool estimated to cost up to $60 million

Fivestar ready to step into the ring as new season begins this weekend

Community Living celebrates successful Of the Vine, Shell’s $10,000 donation

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a ghastly dinner date

matt preprost photo

The living, the dead, and the undecided gathered at North Peace Cultural Centre on Oct. 25 and 26 for the opening weekend of Stage North’s production of The Addams Family. The musical comedy is brilliantly cast and promises plenty of gut-tural laughs when it returns to the stage this weekend. Pictured: Gomez Addams (Ben Wheeler), Morticia Addams (Marisa English), Wednesday Addams (Kathryn Nelson), Grandma Addams (Erin Czitron), and Uncle Fester (Josh Brown).

Landmark lost to fire

$104M for new bridge

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A familiar landmark along the Alaska Highway was destroyed by fire Sunday night. The lumberjack statue marking the former Clarke Sawmill near Mile 62 was destroyed after someone shot a flare at the family’s Halloween decorations around 9:15 p.m., according to family. There was no immediate description of any possible suspects. “He was a land mark that not only advertised our sawmill when it was up and running but was also a place to sit and wait for the school bus, something to look forward to seeing after a very long trip and basically the best thing ever to tell people about and a huge piece of my life,” said Debbie Lee Clarke. “The big man made giving directions very easy.” RCMP did not respond to a request for information. On Monday morning, Clarke said she was thankful the fire was contained with the help of neighbours, and did not spread to her family’s home. The police are

The Ministry of Transportation has awarded the contract to replace the Halfway River Bridge. The ministry announced Monday the $104.6-million construction contract has been awarded to the EiffageInfracon Halfway River Joint Venture. Work includes 3.7 kilometres of new two-lane highway and the construction of a new one kilometrelong bridge crossing the Halfway River, about 500 metres north of the current structure, the ministry said. Construction is expected to begin this winter and be completed in fall 2022. The existing highway alignment, including the current Halfway River Bridge, will remain open while construction of the new crossing takes place. The ministry says there will be limited traffic disruptions. A new bridge is needed to make way for the Site C hydroelectric reservoir, ex-

involved, she said, and the family is discussing its next steps. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around this,” Clarke said. According to Heritage Buildings of the North Peace, the statue was an old Pacific Pete that stood at the former Pacific 66 gas station along the Alaska Highway through Fort St. John, now a Petro Canada station, before it was moved and updated. Over the years, the statue has been dressed as Santa to mark the holidays, and has even held a toothbrush to promote dental hygiene. The website RoadsideAmerica.com listed the landmark as the northernmost “Muffler Man” statue in its records, a style of statue popularized in the 1960s and 70s.

pected to start filling as early as 2023. The reservoir will flood 100-plus kilometres of the Peace River and its tributaries from Fort St. John to the Peace Canyon Dam at Hudson’s Hope. The project requires 32 kilometres of Highway 29 to be realigned and four bridges to be replaced. There is the need for three other new bridges along the 90-kilometre stretch of Highway 29: a 580-metrelong bridge at Cache Creek/ Bear Flat; a 170-metre bridge at Farrell Creek; and a 160-metre bridge at Lynx Creek. Other causeway crossings will also be required at both Farrell and Lynx Creek. The realignments are being funded by BC Hydro. The Halfway River contract is the first public tender award and delivery carried out by the ministry, according to the announcement.


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